The Shire
by Rainbowdragon12
Summary: Takes place about two years after the return of the king. I thought it left off at a really bad point so I decided to continue on. Frodo returns from the undying lands on a small remnant of a ship and is close to death. Nobody knows why he has returned, but when he awakens he tells his story, nobody expected anything close...
1. Chapter 1

This takes place about two years after the events in the return of the king.

As Sam walked home from a long day out in the fields, he thought about something he had not been able to get out of his head all week, Frodo. It had been almost two years now, since him and Bilbo left the shire to go to the undying lands. Sometimes he wondered where Frodo was now, was he happy? Did he think about the Shire? Did he think about him and Merry and Pippin? He liked to think so, that maybe he missed the Shire. "Sam!" someone shouted. Sam looked up, loosing his train of thought. "Samwise Gamgee!" Somebody shouted again. Sam looked around and saw who was shouting, it was his wife, Rosie. She ran up to him and grabbed his hand. "Sam" she said "what are you thinking about?" Sam sighed, "it is nothing."

Rosie grabbed Sam and pulled him toward her. "It is not nothing, this is the third time you've completely walked past the our home this week. What is it Sam? You're worrying me!" Sam could see the tears forming in Rosie's eyes. He pulled his eyes away from hers. "It is Frodo isn't it?" asked Rosie. Sam nodded "for the last two weeks, he's been all I can think about. I think something's wrong Rosie. I..." Elanor, Frodo and Rose, Sam's three children, came running toward them. "Daddy!" They shouted and jumped into Sam's arms. Rosie gave Sam a sympathetic look. "Come on Elanor, Frodo Rose, lets let Daddy come inside." The three children jumped out of Sam's arms and raced toward the house. The girls hair, gold and auburn, was flying out behind them trying too catch up with Frodo who had run ahead. Sam and Rosie followed close behind.

That night, Rosie had cooked a larger dinner then usual. They were having guests tonight. Gandalf was coming, along with Merry who had yet to get married and have a family of his own. Diamond, Pippin's wife and Pippin's six-year-old son, Faramir, would come to. As well as Pippin as soon as he got finished at the boatyard where he worked. There was a knock at the door and Elanor jumped up to answer it. It was probably Cassie and Faramir, who were always the first to arrive at everything. Sure enough, Sam and Rosie who were in the kitchen could soon hear the joyful laughter of Elanor, Frodo and Faramir from Elanor's bedroom. Rose soon ran out of the room to join them. Diamond walked in. She was pretty in her own way, Sam thought. With her straight blond pulled into a ponytail with a braid on the side and her freckled face and blue eyes. "Am I late?" She asked. Rosie laughed "a little" she said "we're running a little behind tonight too." Diamond sighed "Pippin held us up, he came by and said he was working late tonight, so he won't be able to make it."  
"So I'm going to have to put up with Merry all by myself!" Sam exclaimed. "Hey! I'm not that bad!" Merry shouted and grabbed Sam's shoulder, Gandalf laughed. Him and Merry had gotten into the habit of using magic to just appear in places instead of coming in the door like a sensible hobbit. "Pippin won't be joining us tonight? He works to hard! I miss the old Pippin, the Pippin who knew how to have fun." Diamond turned and glared at Merry "maybe it is because he actually has responsibilities!" Merry rolled his eyes "come on Diam, you know I was just joking." She sighed and turned back to helping Rosie set out dinner.

For dinner they had grilled fish, fresh bread and hot apple pie, for desert. After dinner everybody went and found something to do. The children were sitting on the floor playing with marbles next to the fire. Sam, Gandalf and Merry sat nearby smoking pipes. Diamond and Rosie were cleaning dishes and talking in the kitchen. "I want the blue one Elanor!" Whined Rose. "But the blue one is mine Lily, right Faramir?" Faramir nodded and looked to Frodo to see what he thought, Frodo nodded back. "yeah, the blue ones Elanor's!" he said. Faramir had a tendency to take Elanor's side in arguments like this, especially when Frodo agreed as well. "Elano..." Rose was cut off by a knock at the door. The hobbit hole, which had moments ago been full of laughter and voices was now silent. Sam looked at Rosie and she shook her head, "I wasn't expecting anybody." She said. Sam slowly got up from his chair and walked to the door. He unlocked it and opened the door. Standing out in the rain was a very out of breath, wet Pippin. "What's going on Pip? Did you get off early?" Sam looked into Pippin's usually bright carefree eyes and saw an emotion he never expected to see in Pippin, fear. "A boat just came in" he stopped and took a few deep breaths. "What does that have to do with us?" asked Merry, who had come to the door and was now standing behind Sam peering out the door. "The boat" Pippin took a deep breath "it is Frodo, he's come back."


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry it's been forever since I've posted, I haven't had much time and I had some bad writers block. But I'm back now! Please R&R, I would like to get 2 more reviews before I continue :)**

Merry and Sam's mouths were agape, but Gandalf just laughed "I knew that boy would come back!" Pippin shook his head "it's not like that, Gandalf, he didn't come back just to see the Shire, something's wrong." Gandalf gave him a questioning look and the three young hobbit's ran out the door, Gandalf was close behind.

They ran all the way to the boatyard, stopping for nothing and nobody. They arrived at the boatyard, usually a fifteen minute walk from Sam's hobbit hole, within three minutes. When they arrived, what they saw was not what they had expected. They saw a boat, but the boat was not fit to sail. The mast had fallen down and there were holes all over the deck. In many places the reddish oak wood was charred black. The deck was swarming with hobbit boatyard workers. Sam ran closer, hoping that he would get too see Frodo. As he pushed boatyard workers out of his path, Sam saw Frodo. His small form was trapped under the fallen mast, pinning him to the deck. His skin was a chalky white. His eyes were closed and he looked like he had lost weight. The boat yard workers were trying to lift the mast, but there were not enough of them. Sam slid his hands under the beam "come on!" He shouted "help me get this off him!" Everybody ran over and grabbed the beam. "1, 2, 3!" Merry shouted. Everybody lifted as hard as they could and the beam moved a little. Sam grabbed Frodo and pulled, but the beam still had him pinned. The rain had started to pick up from a drizzle to a downpour. Sam wiped his hands on his trousers and shouted over the drone of the rain "again!" Sam felt the beam lift a little higher and he grabbed Frodo and pulled. Little by little, Frodo slid out from under the mast. Twenty minutes later, Sam gave one final tug and Frodo was out from under the mast. A small groan of pain escaped his lips as his head hit the deck, hard. Frodo looked up at Sam with clouded, non-seeing eyes. Frodo's hand reached up and grabbed Sam's collar, pulling Sam's ear next to his mouth. "It is back" Frodo whispered. Then he let his hand fall back and his body went limp. "Frodo?" Sam shouted, grabbing Frodo and shaking him. Tears were forming in the corners of his eyes. Gandalf, Merry and Pippin ran over. Gandalf lifted the limp, pale young hobbit and carried him off the small boat.


	3. Chapter 3

**thanks for all the great reviews. I made this chapter a little longer and I will try and continue to make chapters longer. I have a little more written but I'm starting to get some writers block. I'm open to suggestions, be garuntee they will get used but if like to see some of your ideas. As usual, please R&R, again I would like two more reviews before I contine. Enjoy! :D**

Gandalf and Merry took Frodo to their small cottage in the woods, telling Sam and Pippin to go home after assuring them numerous times that Frodo was fine. As soon as Merry and Gandalf arrived at their little cottage, Gandalf had Merry put Frodo next to the fire and strip Frodo of everything other then his trousers. They were up until late into the night tending Frodo, bandaging wounds and coaxing him too drink. Gandalf was worried although he did not allow it to show. Frodo had been injured badly by the mast that had collapsed on him. He had a gash on his head and his right arm had been broken in multiple places.  
At around three in the morning, Gandalf told Merry to get some sleep. After much reassurance that he had done all he could do for Frodo at the moment, Merry agreed. Within the hour Gandalf, who was sitting in a chair next to Frodo, had fallen asleep as well.

* * *

Sam went back to his hobbit hole, after saying his goodbyes to Pippin. He got yelled at by Rosie for running out without telling anybody where he was going. Sam refused to talk, walking right past Rosie and ignoring her. Crystal, taking this as her cue to leave, said her goodbyes. Rosie could tell something was wrong with Sam and asked Crystal if Elanor, Rose and Frodo could stay with her tonight. Crystal agreed without question. As soon as they were out of the door, Rosie went to find Sam. She found him in the bathroom washing something off of his hands. She moved closer and saw the water was red with blood. "Sam, what's going on?" Sam looked up and Rosie could see his face was streaked with tears.  
"Is that..." Rosie didn't finish her sentence, Sam nodded.  
"Frodo." He said, sliding down against the wall to a sitting position. He put his head in his hands and Rosie could hear him sobbing. He took a deep breath,  
"Pippin came and told us there was a ship. He said Frodo was on it. We ran down to the dock." Sam stopped and took breath.  
"Frodo was trapped under the mast..."  
"Oh Sam!" Rosie said, pulling Sam into her arms. "It's pretty bad Rosie, Gandalf said he's okay but..."  
Rosie sighed, "if Gandalf told you he's okay..." Sam laid his head in his hands and took a deep breath. "Pippin came and told us there was a ship. He said Frodo was on it. We ran down to the dock." Sam stopped and took breath. "Frodo was trapped under the mast..."  
"Oh Sam!" Rosie said, pulling Sam into her arms. "It's pretty bad Rosie, Gandalf said he's okay but..." Rosie sighed "if Gandalf told you he's okay..." Sam cut her off, anger rising in his voice.  
"You did not see him, Rosie! You didn't have to hold him in your arms, feel how cold he was, how light he was! You didn't have to have feel his blood, see his blood all over your hands! You didn't..."  
Sam's body was wracked with sobs. "I know I didn't, but I trust what Gandalf says." Rosie gave Sam a kiss and went to bed, leaving Sam to his thoughts.


End file.
